Developing a Modern Computer Engineering Curriculum Focusing on Embedded Systems

该项目计划通过将嵌入式系统纳入整个课程，对亚拉巴马大学电气与计算机工程系的计算机工程课程和教学体系进行改革和现代化。该项目将开发、评估和传播教学大纲、相关教学材料以及创建和维护包含集成嵌入式系统主题的课程的行政计划。该课程的开发是基于已经大量参与嵌入式系统教育的众多着名机构所介绍的概念。该课程将依赖于嵌入式系统主题在整个改革课程中的独特整合，嵌入式系统最先进的工具集的系统介绍，重点课堂和实验室练习取代课程中的传统材料，以及新的教育体系，以增强学习体验并提高学生的保留率和毕业率。目标、成果、基本原理和计划基于1）描述需要更加重视嵌入式系统的已发表工作，2）该领域其他成功的教育计划，以及3）工程教育中的新方法（例如团队合作）。研究人员在数字系统教育和研究以及工程课程开发方面都有丰富的经验。评估计划是多方面的，包括形成性和总结性过程，包括学生、来自几所著名大学的其他嵌入式系统教育工作者和工业代表的投入。更广泛的影响：该项目将开发和传播大量关于嵌入式系统的教学材料，这是一个重要的新兴教育领域。它还将提供关于设计和使用直接适用于其他学科的改革课程的行政和协调计划的文件。与亚拉巴马大学的多元文化工程项目的伙伴关系促进了学生的招募，保留和指导历史上代表性不足的群体。传播计划概述了具体的战略，以使其他机构的一批感兴趣的教员参与进来，并通过一个网站、会议和期刊出版物宣传这些想法和材料。

This project is planning to reform and modernize the curriculum and instructional pedagogies of the computer engineering program in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of The University of Alabama by incorporating a focus on embedded systems throughout the curriculum. The project will develop, evaluate, and disseminate syllabi, associated instructional materials, and an administrative plan for creating and maintaining a curriculum incorporating an integrated embedded systems theme. Development of this curriculum is based on concepts introduced at numerous prestigious institutions already heavily involved in embedded systems education. The curriculum will rely on a unique integration of an embedded systems theme throughout the reformed courses, systematic introduction of state-of-the-art toolsets for embedded systems, focused classroom and laboratory exercises replacing legacy materials in the curriculum, and new educational pedagogies to enhance the learning experience and increase the retention and graduation rates of our students.INTELLECTUAL MERIT: The objectives, outcomes, rationale, and plans are based on 1) published work describing the need for an increased emphasis on embedded systems, 2) other successful educational programs in this area, and 3) new pedagogies (e.g. teaming) in engineering education. The investigators have extensive experience both in digital systems education and research and in engineering curriculum development. The evaluation plan is multifaceted with both formative and summative processes and includes input from students, other embedded systems educators from several prestigious universities, and industrial representatives.BROADER IMPACT: The project will develop and disseminate a substantial amount of instructional material on embedded systems, an important, emerging educational area. It also will provide documentation on the design and use of an administration and coordination plan for the reformed curriculum that is directly applicable to other disciplines. A partnership with the University of Alabama's Multicultural Engineering Program promotes student recruiting, retention and mentoring of historically underrepresented groups. The dissemination plan outlines specific strategies for involving a group of interested faculty at other institutions and for promoting the ideas and materials through a website, and conference and journal publications.